The last of Sutton’s six tries came as the final quarter approached, this time from a five-metre lineout. The ball was retained and made its way to the full-back who dived over unopposed.

The conversion gave his side a 39-18 lead and that is how it remained until the final whistle.

n Kenilworth Ladies made sure 2017 got off to a perfect start with a well-deserved 39-12 victory over Cannock.

The first meeting of these sides this season saw Kenilworth secure a narrow 28-26 victory back in October but it was to be a much more dominant performance at Glasshouse Lane.

Winger Phoebe May Howles opened the scoring for the hosts in the fifth minute after superb counter-attack, racing on to a clearance kick and rounding the visitors’ defence to touch down.

Kenilworth extended their lead courtesy of centre Felicity Baldwin after a miss-pass from fly-half Vicky Stokes.

Stokes was on target with the conversion to give her side a 12-0 lead mid-way through the half.

The hosts’ third try of the afternoon came from full-back Harrie Clemens who crossed on the left after the forwards gained territory.

Baldwin then doubled her tally to give the hosts a 22-0 lead.

Cannock responded with their first try of the match after Kenilworth conceded a penalty for offside. Their scrum-half took a quick tap and sniped through the scrambling Kenilworth defence to score under the posts.

The conversion made it 22-7 but Kenilworth quickly restored their 22-point cushion with a converted try of their own from second-rower Ada Ajoku.

With a large points deficit to overhaul, Cannock came out firing in the second half and applied sustained pressure on the Kenilworth defence. However, the hosts stood firm and were the first to trouble the scoreboard with Clemens evading multiple defenders to score on the right-hand side.

Hooker Lexi MacKee and substitute flanker Alex Clay both went close to crossing the whitewash before winger Patricia McMahon scored Kenilworth’s final try of the afternoon.

Cannock made did it onto the scoreboard one last time after Kenilworth conceded back-to-back penalties for offside and a high tackle.

However, it was a mere consolation as Kenilworth began 2017 where 2016 left off to cement their place at the top of the league, six points clear of second-placed Coalville.